I finally had my first pain clinic appointment last Tuesday and was started on MS Contin. It seems to be helping with my pain, and I haven't had a lot of side effects that I usually get with the opiates (nausea, itching, headache). The one problem I have had is the constipation. I have not had a problem with this in the past, except when I was on a bunch of opiates in the hospital.

I got Colace when I picked up my MS contin last week and have been taking it every day, but in reading these posts it looks like I can go up on the Colace dose quite a bit (only taking it once a day so far). That is good because the Colace doesn't seem to have worked at all.

I was getting really frustrated by Friday night because I hadn't gone at all since Tuesday, so I went to the pharmacy and got some glycerin suppositories, which also didn't work. So then I got some magnesium citrate and took that, and it did work, but it only worked that one time, and I can't be taking mag citrate and getting diarrhea every day or even every other day.

I need to come up with a regimen that works for day-to-day use, since I am now going to be taking the long-acting opiates every day. I got some generic senna laxatives today, but now after reading about melanosis coli, I am hesitant to use them as part of my daily regimen. Does bisacodyl cause melanosis coli, too?

My diet is already pretty high in fiber, because I need to eat 4-5 small meals per day consisting mainly of complex carbs for my metabolic disorder. I make sure that the sources of complex carbs I eat are mostly whole grain, so there is a lot of fiber in my diet. I also try to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables.

I am going to try to make some of that Yakima fruit paste stuff, and I will ask about adding Miralax when I go to the doctor next time. Any side effects to the stuff, besides the obvious "makes you go"?

I'll tell ya what has worked for me....I've had this problem a lot, but then suddently I was going all the time. Like 8 freaking times a DAY. Like, even in the middle of the night, having to change my bedding and all (too graphic, I know, but to give you an idea of how well this worked...too well, but it's finally perfected!).

Anyway, I am on the duragesic fentanyl patch, a high 75 dose, PLUS percocet 3 x's/day, PLUS 2 ferrous phospate tablets a day. All those cause constipation, right? So you can only IMAGINE how backed up I was. i was taking exlax - the chocolate ones - at night. That wasn't even working. So I was taking the dulcolax suppositories, and yes, they were working...but sometimes only after using two of them. And those aren't really "fun" ya know. So my pain doc suggested using the Senna (which is the generic senokot). Two every morning. Sure, they helped a bit...but not well enough. I was still straining, but having a movement ever 3 days. Still tummy aches though, so it wasn't enough.

On a whim, I was talking to my pain doc also about the muscle spasms and the restless legs I was having and neither of us wanted me on "another pill" so he asked if I took magnesium. Yes, I did...one pill every evening. He asked how many mg's that was. Well, I didn't kow...but he said the "average" was 250 mg's per pill...which wasn't enough to stop the restless legs and spasms. So he wanted me to take 1000 mg's. So, that's what I did...AND YOWSA!!!! Did my bowels ever start MOVING! I had absolutely NO IDEA what was wrong with me. I thought I had ecoli, cuz I had eaten spinach quite a bit lately and I thought I had bought a package of that "tainted stuff" ya know. I had NO IDEA I wasn't supposed to start taking 1000 mg's all at once, but "wean myself" onto it. So...that's what happened when you don't wean yourself!

I did that for about 3 weeks. Ended up going to my MD cuz I got my very first hemmorhoids and everything (does that mean I'm a GROWNUP now?). Finally posted cuz I figured I sholdn't be embarassed anymore about "those" issues, and someone read about the magnesium, referenced "whatcha think Milk of MAGnesia is?" and I felt silly...did some googling, and WELLA! Yeah, i figured it out myself. Cut the magnesium OUT for a few days, then went back to 750 mg's and started the senna back up, 2 pills in the am....so that's my maintenance now....2 senna's and 750 mg's of magnesium...and I'm scootin just fine now. Sure, now and again I'll need a dulcolax suppository...but only about once a week/10 days as opposed to a pack a week like before!

That's what worked for ME. Everyone is different...and I learned the hard way. LOL! Sometimes that's how we learn though! There is also a tea (if you like tea) called (crud....PAIN BRAIN POPPING IN!!!!) never mind...I'll edit later when I figure ot the STUPID NAME! It's supposed to be very healing....the natives had a special way of drinking it....comes ina green bag.....spelled different than it sounds....MATE....native....something like that??? GRRRR! Someone else will probably know it before I can figure it out. I think I hve some at work here. I'll go fetch it and post it later.

Anyway, it's said to be "magical" and very healthy for hte brain, heart, eetc when it's drank regularly.

NATIVA MATE!!! that's it! Yerba mate???? Cru....its one of those. Anyway, guess I should drink more cuz my brain could certainly use it, huh? LOL!

So much for my scatterbrained input! I'll go back tot he rsd forum where I belong! LOL!

Hugs
LisaM

Lisa,
The magesium used to work for me but in the last 3 days I have taken 1500 mg a day and nothing. I guess I am dealing with some paralysis from the Arachnoiditis. Thanks evryone.

Yes, Mrs D was correct. The melanosis coli was caused by the senna in the herbal product.

Add me to the list of the constipated!
I take Colace everyday, a little coffee or Diet Coke in the morning, and Flax Oil in tablet form every day. Yes water is also very important....lemonade too. I don't drink tap water anymore, it makes me sick so I only drink bottled water now.
I am still irregular but at least I am going. There were times I wouldn't go for up to 3 weeks at a time. Yes...I know what you all must be thinking. At this point I have decided not to worry about it. I too was on opiates back when and that is when it all started. Ever since I have been having bowel issues.
Good luck on trying!:D

Miralax is wonderful!
 

Hi everyone,
Just wanted to report that on friday Pm doubled my pain meds and gave me Miralax and I took it friday...skipped sat sun, took it mon-tues-wed and it worked like a charm on wed...and I went this morning normally so I feel much better and now will play around and find correct does for me! I am very impressed since Nothing else worked (and I tried it all)!

I dont use this anymore because i have such oily skin but i used to use flax seed oil.
I used the liquid that you store in the fridge.
I put a teaspoon in my oatmeal every morning.After i cooked the oats.Your not suppose to heat the flax.It worked like a charm for me.
It actually helped with my terrible cramps from IBS as well.

Is that a TORTOISE...
 

driving that CAR? LOL

Too cute.I did'nt even realize what that was until you posted Mrs D..lol
Very cute!!